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Thursday, January 31, 2013

In observance of International Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Miami-Dade
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle hosted her Second Annual Community
Forum on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, entitled “Human Trafficking:
Building the Infrastructure to Combat Modern Day Slavery”.

According to the United Nations, at any given time throughout the world there
are millions of people unwillingly involved in forced labor and the illicit sex
trade. Although Human Trafficking is often portrayed as a broad national or
international problem, the reality is that many of the victims of Human
Trafficking reside within our communities. It is estimated that the Human
Trafficking industry earns some $32 billion dollars annually worldwide.

“Knowledge and understanding are the sharpest, most dependable tools in the
fight against human trafficking,” commented Miami-Dade-State Attorney Katherine
Fernandez Rundle. “The more we know and understand, the better we can
effectively combat these awful crimes. This forum brings community leaders,
service providers and local, state and national law enforcement agencies
together to propose solutions in our continuing mission to curb a crime that
affects so many young and promising lives.”

The forum, held at the main Office of the State Attorney in Miami, was the
brainchild of State Attorney Fernandez Rundle and is aimed at tackling instances
of Human Trafficking in Miami-Dade County and South Florida. Through better
awareness and legislation, it is the State Attorney’s hope that the victims of
Human Trafficking can be more readily identified and the perpetrators
prosecuted.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

A joint investigation by the Miami Dade Police Department Public Corruption Investigations Bureau, the Public Corruption Unit of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office with the assistance of United States Department of Housing & Urban Development, Office of Inspector General has led to the arrest of two individuals in a “cash for housing” scheme which let individuals willing to pay reside in housing created to help the homeless.
Carlos Enrique Vazquez, a current City of Miami Homeless Assistance Program Outreach employee, and Odalys Lovett Delisle, an associate of Mr. Vasquez received a $5,000 fee to falsely qualify an individual to allow her to live in transitional housing intended to help Miami-Dade’s homeless population. According to investigators, Mr. Vazquez told the individual that once he got her into the housing program, she could remain in the program for life rather than just the 3 months for which the program was designed. Ms. Delisle met directly with the individual and received the payment on Mr. Vazquez’ behalf.
Carlos Enrique Vazquez and Odalys Lovett Delisle are both charged with: Official Misconduct ; Unlawful Compensation; and Bribery.

“The real victims of this fraud are needy homeless individuals who lose out on housing while some greedy individuals put money in their own pockets,” commentated State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “I know that I speak for our entire law enforcement community when I say that this will stop”